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Is 600 square feet livable?

Know your square footage While it's not the largest space to live in, it's definitely enough room to make a comfortable home.

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Finding the right apartment can get challenging. There are so many things to think about like location, amenities and of course size. Imagining the size of an apartment without visuals is difficult, especially if it's a smaller space. While the idea of living in a tiny space can seem exciting, you want to make sure you know exactly what size you're looking at. You also want to make sure that it includes all your needs. If you're stuck wondering “how big is 600 square feet?" look no further. Here are some visuals and tips for living in a 600 square-foot apartment.

How to calculate 600 square feet

Some apartments will come with a floor plan that will help you visualize the space and some landlords will tell you exactly how big the space is without you having to measure it. However, that is not always the case. So it's best to know how to calculate the size of an apartment yourself. Calculating the square footage of an apartment might seem like a hard task but fear not because here are the steps you'll need to start to calculate the square footage of any apartment.

Get all the necessary tools

Before you can start calculating the square feet of a room, you'll need some tools. Make sure you have a measuring tape, a piece of paper, a calculator and a pen or a pencil.

Measure all the rooms

Going room by room, measure the width and the length of said room. Next, multiply those two numbers together to get the square footage of that room. If the room has a separate space, such as a closet, make sure to measure those separately. Once you've gone through all the rooms and done the calculations you'll want to add up all the numbers. The total number then is the square footage of the apartment.

Leave out these spaces

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When measuring the square feet of space, there are a couple of areas that you can leave out from the calculations. Rooms that are not livable such as patios, decks and garages are excluded from the total square footage. However, if you choose to convert one of these spaces into a livable room, then you would have to include it in the total square footage of the apartment.

What does 600 square feet look like?

So what does 600 square feet actually look like? If you can't quite visualize how big 600 square feet is yet, no worries. Six hundred square feet is about the size of a standard three-car garage that has enough space to park the cars and walk around comfortably. When searching for a 600 square-foot apartment you will sometimes come across a studio of that size. Although it won't have separate rooms, you'll still have a decent amount of space to work with. A lot of times, however, you'll see smaller one-bedroom apartments. With 600 square feet, there is enough room to have a more defined living space.

Tips for living in a 600 square foot apartment

If you're coming from a bigger space or this is your first apartment, you might be wondering how to live within 600 square feet. Here are five tips for living in a 600 square foot apartment.

1. Purge

When moving into a smaller space one of the best things you can do is go through your belongings and purge what you don't need. While it's hard at first, you'll be grateful in the long run that your apartment isn't stuffed with items you don't need or use.

2. Organize

Organize the items you keep neatly. This way everything gets its own home and you won't feel overwhelmed by clutter in a small space.

3. Use off-site storage

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If purging isn't your thing, no worries. Rent a storage space to keep all the things you don't use daily like decorations or outdoor gear. By doing this you get the best of both worlds — you can keep all your things and keep your apartment clutter-free.

4. Define the space

Creating defined spaces in your apartment can make all the difference. If your apartment doesn't have defined areas, then using furniture can really help. Use a couch or a bookshelf to create a living space separate from the bedroom or kitchen.

5. Right size furniture, decor

Decorations and furniture can also help make this space feel larger and more like your own. Try using vertical lines to make the room feel taller and airier. Create a focal point by making a statement wall using fun wallpaper or art. While you might think that shoving the furniture against the walls is a good idea think again. By floating the furniture throughout the room, you actually make the room seem bigger. Another tip is to use furniture that doubles as storage. If you can, exchange a real door for a pocket or sliding door to save on space.

Know your square footage

Understanding how big is 600 square feet in an apartment is important as it informs a lot of your other decisions. When looking at apartments to rent, take the time to measure the square footage or have someone such as a professional do it for you. If this is your first time living in a smaller space, you will want to really plan out how to live comfortably in the space. While it's not the largest space to live in, it's definitely enough room to make a comfortable home.

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